Wonderful Getaway with All of the Little Things

Guest: End of Summer Getaway (Columbus, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 08/08/11 Review Submitted: 09/01/11

My girlfriend and I brought 6 kids (our 5 and 1 extra), to the lake as a last hurrah to summer 2011. This is the first time that most of us have been to Lake Norris and weren't sure what to expect. We drove in to a torrential downpour but by the time we got to the house, the skies had cleared & the entire week was filled with sun! We rented both the house and the boat for the week and were not disappointed with anything, the kids loved "tubing" off the boat and in jumping from the second story dock into the water. The dock itself was enough to sustain us for the week as the owners have everything you could need for a week on the water. From inflatables, to fishing poles, everything was there and readily available for us to use. The same goes for the house, so many times have we've gotten to a rental only to find the cupboards completely bare of even salt & pepper, this wasn't the case with this rental as one of the cabinets and a lazy susan was stocked with spices and whatnot. Overall, I cannot think of a thing that would be a negative, we had a great time and will be renting this house again!!! Thank-you Bill!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, people with disabilities, romantic getaway, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Perfect getaway and great location

Guest: Big Al (Cincinnati, OH)
Date of Stay: 07/25/11 Review Submitted: 08/12/11

Everything from all the positive comments are true...This is definately a place we would return to. Home was clean and had plenty of room. The kids went nuts when they saw the lower level. A kids dream basement. Kitchen was huge. There is a very steep grade (as most homes have) to walk down to the dock but it is paved. Just a good workout for us. The dock? We are still talking about it and its location is perfect. We'll be back!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Weekend in July

Guest: Tom (Villa Hills, KY)
Date of Stay: 07/08/11 Review Submitted: 07/16/11

This lake house was perfect for our group. The kitchen was large and easily accommodated all of us for meals. The house was very clean and well maintained. The dock was fantastic, situated in a nice cove with little traffic. The kids were entertained swimming in the lake around the dock as we brought our boats in and out of the cove. Thank you for letting us rent your home.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with young children, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Great Home - Great Boat Dock

Guest: Mark (Columbus OH)
Date of Stay: 06/27/11 Review Submitted: 07/04/11

This rental is the Total Package - spacious home, large kitchen, lower level with buck beds that was great for the kids, and it is furnished and decorated perfectly. The Boat Dock was a favorite with a large upper level that offered great sun and relaxation. The location of the boat dock is great - at the beginning of a cove, not on the open lake or too far down the cove. We would definitely recommend to others, and plan on coming back as soon as possible.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, romantic getaway, families with teenagers.

Awesome Vacation - Thanks Vogel Family!!

Guest: Gretchen (Shelburn, Indiana)
Date of Stay: 06/20/11 Review Submitted: 07/01/11

If you're looking for a great lakefront home vacation - I highly recommend this house. We just spent 4 nights there & had an awesome time. The house is exactly as described - pictures do not do it justice. There was more than enough room for our group of 12 (3 families ages 40 something - 16). The adults each had their own bedroom upstairs and kids had the basement, which let me tell you is not your typical basement - foosball, air hockey/ping pong, darts, tv room, full bathroom & walk-out deck. What honestly made this house our top pick was the dock since we were planning on spending a lot of time by the water - it was fantastic! The kids (and adults) had a blast jumping off the top & there was plenty of shade under the canopy & plenty of seating for everyone! Everything was was very clean and the house was well-maintained. I was not familiar with Norris Lake so my only 2 surprises when we arrived was the steep walkway from the house to the dock and the crazy drive from the main town to the lakehouse. BUT this applies to 90% of the houses not just this one - something to take into consideration if someone in your party has a hard time walking or if you want more entertainment than just boating on the lake. Everyone in our party (even the ocean die hards) agreed this was an awesome vacation & would love to return!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Will NEVER be back!

Guest: Kimberly (Park Hills, Kentucky)
Date of Stay: 08/16/10 Review Submitted: 12/16/10

This was the second year we rented this property and it was very different than the previous year. We had several problems with the property. The washing machine did not work the entire week, along with several things run down. This property does NOT include a covered slip. Read your rental agreement thoroughly before renting.

Owner response:Owner response: This unfair review is from a disgruntled renter that caused damage during the rental and became belligerent when a portion of the deposit was not returned. While 3 different items were in good working order the weekend prior to their rental (I know this because we were using our house immediately prior to their rental), they denied any responsibility for the very obvious damage and became confrontational when a portion of the deposit was retained to repair the damage and replace the items broken. Furthermore, they were notified the week prior to their rental that the washing machine was inoperable, that the repair had been initiated and that parts were on order and in transit. These negative comments are unfair. I have a robust email trail showing the belligerence and irrationality of the issue as well as pictures as confirmation of the damage done. I would happily provide this as background to my contention that this review is not factually correct and unreasonably slanderous. Please note the comments this renter made the year prior to see that they are in line with each and every other review we have ever had: "The Vogel lake house was just perfect for what our family was looking for! We had all ages ranging from 2-77 years old. The house is clean, comfortable, well-decorated and perfect for kids. The paved path, which led to the nicest dock I have ever been on, was perfect for people who might not be so steady on their feet. The special bonus was how kind the Vogel family was on working with us on our last minute stay. We hope to return for many years!!!"

Recommended for:

We had a great time!!

Guest: Lori (Shorewood, IL)
Date of Stay: 08/02/10 Review Submitted: 08/09/10

We had a blast at this house! The house is tastefully decorated, very comfortable and CLEAN. The kid's room was perfect! When we weren't swimming, the kids spent all of their time in the rec room. The kitchen is big and was comfortable for all 14 of us. The lake and dock were wonderful. I am a very picky traveler, and I will definitely vist this house again!

Recommended for:People with disabilities, families with teenagers.

Nice house

Guest: Su (Cincinnati)
Date of Stay: 07/26/10 Review Submitted: 08/05/10

This home is laid out well for families and/or bigger groups. We had our 4 kids and 3 guests and it was a little tricky to figure out sleeping arrangements with only 3 bedrooms (it would be good to have either king beds in all the bedrooms or twin beds in the smaller 2). The kitchen and eating area is really nice to have because it accomodates a large group. Some of the animal heads that are on the walls are a little troublesome - I don't mind hunting but I don't need all those heads looking at me. The ramp to the lake is VERY steep and while we were all able to make it, it makes you think twice before you run up to the house to get something. Paper supplies were limited.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers.

Lake Norris vacation @ the Vogel's.

Guest: Dave & Laurie (Denton, TX)
Date of Stay: 07/18/10 Review Submitted: 07/27/10

This was a new adventure for us and we all agreed we had a wonderful time at your lake house! It is spacious, so nicely decorated and full of every amenity. Cooking together was a joy in the large kitchen, and the decks perfect for our late evening talks. We all agreed with my daughter-in-law when she commented, "The on-line pictures don't do it justice."! Your home & grounds are all that it portrayed and more, exceeding our expectations! My husband & I agreed we left in better shape after the slope "workouts" -even the great grandma's ventured up & down a few times! Anything to reach the gorgeous lake and the fabulous 2-story deck for all of the fun in the water! After full days of fun in the sun everyone slept well in the comfy beds. Your neighbor came by and was helpful in giving us instructions on the boat lift which made everything so convenient. Thank you too for the Tennessee treats! We came home refreshed with lots of great memories- thank you so much! L.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers.

Family Reunion

Guest: Bill (Redlands CA)
Date of Stay: 07/12/10 Review Submitted: 07/22/10

We had a family reunion with 13 family members staying at the house. We loved the house as there was room for everyone and plenty to keep everyone busy. The five grandkids and a few adults took to the boat dock right away -- especially jumping off the top deck. We had a ski boat which we tied to the dock when it wasn't in use -- which was not very often. We also rented a double deck pontoon boat for two days; however, I don't think we would rent one again. With the ski boat and the great dock, we wouldn't have needed the pontoon boat. Loved the hike from the dock to the house as it was a great way to restart an exercise program. The oldest member of the family was an 88 year old great grandmother who had no trouble climbing the walkway. We had a great time and would definitely rent this house again. Bill Vogel gave us all the information we needed and was always ready to answer our questions.

Recommended for:Families with young children, age 55+, families with teenagers.